★ Ida B. Wells and the Untold Truth of a Country by Lesa Cline-Ransome
Jan. 2027. 304p. illus. Holiday, $19.99 (9780823456239). Gr. 4–8. 323.092
“Ida B. Wells is known as a fearless journalist and early civil rights leader, but how did she find that place in history? There’s her all-important education within the newly freed Black community that ignites her love of words, a fight with a railroad company over first-class seating, and her immersion in a thriving Memphis society. But it’s her eventual focus on lynching that takes center stage in this book, from her unusual first-person investigations to her efforts to publicize and end the horrifying practice. Her letters, articles, and pamphlets are frequently drawn from, allowing Wells to speak for herself. The artfully told story nearly reads like a novel, full of suspense, heartbreak, and deeply meaningful moments of camaraderie and accomplishment, pausing occasionally to add historical context. The candid discussions of lynching and sexual assault are sobering, though there are also plenty of joyful moments involving thriving Black communities and hard-won recognition of Ida’s crucial crusade. Brief chapters are interspersed with photos, documents, newspaper articles, and even Ida’s own writing; the final 100 pages or so are reserved for a list of every Black person lynched from 1817 through 1997, an inclusion sure to stay with readers long after they’ve closed the book. An incredibly illuminating and infuriating spotlight on a woman of remarkable integrity and the turbulent time period in which she excelled.”
—Booklist